


(non)Prolix

by heartsfilthylesson



Category: The Fall (TV)
Genre: F/F, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-20 04:26:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4773518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsfilthylesson/pseuds/heartsfilthylesson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of ask box ficlets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i'll post the prompt at the beginning of each ficlet. 
> 
> sitis (thirst) - ferrington x stella

Detective Superintendent Gibson’s invitation is so unexpected Dani unwittingly accepts. The words leave her mouth – _yes, thankyou, ma’am,_ -before she realises what a terrible idea it is, before her legs go rigid and her palms start sweating. As Stella walks away, she promises herself she won’t make it into more than what it is. It’s nothing, it’s just a drink.

She spends the rest of the evening, one that goes by slow as a honey drip, chewing on her cuticles and thinking of plausible reasons  _–I can’t leave my cat alone, ma’am. I’ve decided to join the nuns in Scotland, ma’am. I’m moving to Cambodia, ma’am—_  to cancel on her terrifyingly attractive boss. However, stupid and brave as she is, at half nine she’s out of her uniform and waiting for Stella at the lobby bar.

“You’ve made it.” Stella sounds surprised and, affronted, Dani thinks of a million things to say, all of which sound rather silly, so she keeps her mouth shut and follows her to their table.

It’s not as weird or uncomfortable as she first expected but, after their second drink, as the conversation steers away from the safety of work and ventures into the personal, Dani feels her anxiety rise. Her mouth goes dry when Stella, direct as ever, asks if she’s seeing anyone. Dani shakes her head and finishes the last half her gin and tonic in one long sip.

There’s a tiny smile on Stella’s face and she doesn’t bother hiding the amusement from her voice. “Thirsty?” All Dani can do is nod.

Stella calls over a waiter and settles their tab. Dani, heartbeat racing, watches her intently and prays her skin’s not flushed yet. “I’m going to bed,” she says standing, purse in hand.

_It was nothing. It was a drink. Why did you get your hopes up?_  Dani berates herself and thanks Stella for the drinks, wishes her a goodnight.

“What?” Stella asks, eyebrows raised, “are you not coming along?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baisemain - A kiss on the hand.

It starts with a miscalculated phrase.

They’re sitting close enough that their clothes brush –the scratchy fabric of Dani’s cardigan almost indecent against the silkiness of Stella’s shirt.  The silence is putting Dani on edge and she struggles to find something to say, anything but a remark on the weather or, worse, their case.  

“I reckon my girlfriend hates you.” The moment those words leave her mouth Dani wants to jump out the nearest window. She gives her half-empty wine glass, her very first of the evening, a wary look and wonders if she could already be drunk.

Stella uncrosses her legs and tilts her head. “Oh?”

“I talk about you a lot,” Dani takes a long sip of her wine, wills herself to shut up, “the case, I mean. She didn’t mind though, not until she saw you on the telly. I should say ex-girlfriend anyway, we’ve broken up now.”

 _You’re fit, ma’am._  She doesn’t say it in so many words but she says it anyway and now it’s time for her to go and hide until spring. Or until the embarrassment wears off, whichever comes first. Perhaps she can blame her little speech on temporary insanity or some sort of head injury. She’s halfway off the couch when Stella stops her.

She touches her waist, the warmth of her fingers overwhelming even through the sweater and Dani swallows hard, uncertain. Stella stares at her for a moment before leaning in and kissing her jaw, her chin, her neck.

Dani’s enthralled by the way the shimmery fabric of Stella’s blouse catches the light as she unbuttons it. She wants to lunge at her, touch her through the lace of her bra and leave open-mouthed kisses on her neck until she’s writhing beneath her but she waits.

There’s a tiny smile on Stella’s lips as she hitches up her pencil skirt and straddles Dani’s hips. She smells like Pinot Noir and Tom Ford and Dani’s done waiting. She kisses her throat and slips a hand through the thin fabric of her underwear, deft fingers working until Stella comes with Dani’s name on her lips.

Breathless, she wraps her thin fingers around Dani’s wrist and brings her hand to her lips, licking every finger and pressing a chaste kiss to the palm of her hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stella propositions Dani after being turned down by Reed. (I guess ignore the part where Paul was in her room.)

She steps into her hotel room utterly frustrated but buzzing with excess energy. Energy that, if the night had gone as expected, would have been well spent. It’s nothing more than a slight miscalculation, but as she steps out of her heels and unbuttons her jacket, it feels more like a disaster.

Too wired to sleep, Stella sinks into an armchair with a bottle of a decent red wine and a single glass. Halfway through her second drink, she considers slipping into bed but the thought that she’d be the only one getting off is so disheartening she pours herself another one instead. Then there’s a knock on the door.

 _Reed_ , she thinks and her heart pounds against her ribcage. She can still feel her lips, her breath, on her and the warmth already gathered in her lower abdomen grows and spreads further.

It’s only PC Ferrington on the other side of the door. Stella masks her disappointment with displeasure.

“Sorry about the hour, ma’am,” she mutters, flustered, and hands her a thin manila envelope. “Eastwood needs your signature.”

Stella ushers her in and moves to find a pen. She watches from the corner of her eyes as Dani glances around the room, stiff and visibly uncomfortable with the late visit.

“Here you go,” she says and returns now signed document. It takes Dani a moment too long to react, her gaze fixed on the flesh small amount of flesh exposed by her shirt. It’s not more than a second or two but it’s all Stella needs. “Have a drink with me.”

Dani hesitates and gives her a nervous smile. “I couldn’t, ma’am.”

“Are you on duty?” Dani shakes her head and opens her mouth, surely to say she must return the document but Stella interjects before she gets a chance. “Eastwood hasn’t been at the station for at least an hour. You can certainly have a drink with me.”

They drink in silence. Dani takes cautious sips while Stella finishes her glass like she’s not had water all day. Then, she leans forward and places a hand on Dani’s thigh.

“What are you doing tonight?” She asks, voice deliberately low. Dani nearly chokes on her wine and averts her eyes, unable to hold Stella’s piercing stare. After a moment, she mumbles something about feeding a cat.

“That’s all well.” Stella grabs the collar of Dani’s pressed PSNI shirt, runs a single finger across her collarbones before sitting back with a smile. “But you could stay here instead.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: stella x dani fic from series 2 episode 1 when they are in the bathroom talking about why stella picked dani as stella undresses?

It takes her a day to prepare. First, she writes everything down, precise and concise. Next, she goes over them in her head until they’re committed to memory. Finally, she practises in front of a mirror. When she goes to find DSI Gibson, she’s ready to explain why she wants to go back on patrol and she’s ready to thank her for the opportunity, for the experience. When she finds DSI Gibson, she forgets every word.

It’s strange to see her in uniform and Dani help but sweep her gaze over Gibson twice. Stella’s sharp eyes catch hers in the mirror but she says nothing. It takes Dani a few seconds but she gathers her nerves and asks to go back on uniform.

Unfazed, Stella questions her motives.

A deep breath and jumbled words spill forth from her lips without finesse. DSI Gibson remains silent, fingers working at the buttons of her white Met shirt.

“I picked you for selfish reasons.” The words that come from Stella Gibson, one who shares so little, who remains a mystery to them all, surprise her. She didn’t expect this and her palms begin to sweat. Dani nods and stares at her back.

“I trust you.” She turns to face Dani, shirt fully unbuttoned now. “And I like you.”

The agitation she was feeling multiplies and her heartbeat speeds up. Stella manages to look both expectant and patient. This can’t be what it feels like so she shrugs, uncertain.

 _What do I do now?_ , she thinks and Stella must read her mind because she smiles that puzzling smile of hers and crooks a finger.

“Come here,” she says and lets her shirt fall on the tiled floor.


End file.
